Epidemic in Zimbabwe
In August of 2008, a deadly cholera epidemic manifested in
Zimbabwe. A severe health hazard caused the outbreak. There was an
extreme lack of clean drinking water in the overcrowded urban cities.
Garbage and chemicals got into the public water supplies and
contaminated them. Since people did not have access to other
sources, they had to drink the dirty water.
The outbreak spread rapidly and infected almost 16,000 people.
The illness caused extreme pain in people’s intestines. It also caused
a deficiency of important fluids in sick people’s bodies. Without the
proper fluids and minerals, metabolic processes stopped working
correctly. People were unable to digest food properly or replenish their
lost nutrients. If they had not received viable treatment, they would
have been likely to die. It was imperative for help to come soon.
However, the government of Zimbabwe was unable to provide help
to its people. The government didn’t have a plan to stop the spread of
cholera. In addition, the country was too poor to get clean water or
medication for the sick. The people seemed to be doomed.
Luckily, many other countries recognized the paramount need to
contain the outbreak. Dozens of voluntary practitioners from Britain,
France, the United States, and other countries went to Zimbabwe to
treat the disease. Through the provision of sterile drinking water and
medication, people finally got the treatment they badly needed. The
compassionate doctors were able to save the lives of thousands. By
january of 2009, the epidemic was almost completely contained.
Today, the Zimbabwean government is working with other countries
to prevent future epidemics. They are cleaning up the water supply
and learning how to avoid health hazards. The system used to filter
water is being upgraded. The government now administers the water
supply plants and makes sure that they adhere to strict safety
guidelines. Hopefully, future instances of cholera will be treated before
they start deadly epidemics
Epidemic in Zimbabwe
In August of 2008, a deadly
cholera epidemic manifested in
Zimbabwe. A severe health
hazard caused the outbreak.
There was an extreme lack of
clean drinking water in the
overcrowded urban cities.
Garbage and chemicals got into
the public water supplies and
contaminated them. Since people
did not have access to other
sources, they had to drink the
dirty water.
The outbreak spread rapidly
and infected almost 16,000
people. The illness caused
extreme pain in people’s
intestines. It also caused a
deficiency of important fluids in
sick people’s bodies. Without the
proper fluids and minerals,
metabolic processes stopped
working correctly. People were
unable to digest food properly or
replenish their lost nutrients. If
they had not received viable
treatment, they would have been
likely to die. It was imperative for
help to come soon.
However, the government of
Zimbabwe was unable to provide
help to its people. The
government didn’t have a plan to
stop the spread of cholera. In
addition, the country was too poor
to get clean water or medication
for the sick. The people seemed
to be doomed.
Luckily, many other countries
recognized the paramount need
to contain the outbreak. Dozens
of voluntary practitioners from
Britain, France, the United States,
and other countries went to
Zimbabwe to treat the disease.
Through the provision of sterile
drinking water and medication,
people finally got the treatment
they badly needed. The
compassionate doctors were able
to save the lives of thousands. By
january of 2009, the epidemic was
almost completely contained.
Today, the Zimbabwean
government is working with other
countries to prevent future
epidemics. They are cleaning up
the water supply and learning how
to avoid health hazards. The
system used to filter water is
being upgraded. The government
now administers the water supply
plants and makes sure that they
adhere to strict safety guidelines.
Hopefully, future instances of
cholera will be treated before they
start deadly epidemics